<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000860745 <NAME> GEODYNE ENERGY INCOME LTD PARTNERSHIP III-A <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1998 <CASH> 324,860 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 265,218 <ALLOWANCES> 0 <INVENTORY> 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 590,078 <PP&E> 17,208,053 <DEPRECIATION> 14,914,578 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 3,083,275 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 69,283 <BONDS> 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 0 <OTHER-SE> 2,962,087 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 3,083,275 <SALES> 1,573,580 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 1,607,573 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 1,064,956 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0 <INCOME-PRETAX> 542,617 <INCOME-TAX> 0 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 542,617 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 542,617 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.90 <EPS-DILUTED> 0